“Absolutely,” said Abigail, and Katrina heard her rise from her chair. “I’m exhausted.”

Since Katrina and Abigail were sharing a room, there’d be no private conversation with Reed tonight. But Katrina wasn’t giving up. Tomorrow, they’d all troop back to the ranches. Eventually, she and Reed would find themselves alone.

Katrina soon discovered that things Reed didn’t want to happen, didn’t happen. After the charity ball in Lyndon, she and Mandy had spent a couple of days at their own ranch. But her sister soon found a reason to return to Terrells’, and Katrina found an excuse to go with her.

There, Reed was polite but resolute. He spent his days in the far reaches of the ranch, and his evenings in the company of Caleb and Mandy. If Katrina asked him a direct question, he answered. And he continued to wrap her ankle each evening, but he was careful never to get caught alone with her.

So she was surprised on a midday to hear his voice on the porch of the ranch house. She’d run through a workout and a few dance routines in the basement rec room this morning and was now looking for Mandy.

“It’ll only take me a few hours,” Reed was saying.

“That’s not the point,” Caleb returned. “We have hands for those kinds of jobs.”

“I have no intention of spending my entire afternoon in the office.”

“Once we get things set up with a manager, you’ll be able to do or not do any old job you want around here.”

“Good.” Reed’s tone was implacable. “Today I want to fix the well pump at Brome Ridge.”

“You’re impossible.”

“Deal with it. I’ll probably be late getting back tonight.” His boot heels clunked on the porch, and Katrina took her chance.

She burst through the front door. “Did you say Brome Ridge?” she asked Reed.

He stopped dead, as if frozen to the floor.

“I’ve been wanting to get up there before I leave,” she rattled on. “I’ve only got a couple of days left. Would you mind?” she smiled brightly.